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Bonzai Network
Bonzai Network (often shortened to Bonzai at times) is an American basic cable and satellite television network owned by Bonzai Television Networks, LLC; a limited liability joint venture between BritCan Communications (through its BritCan Communications Cable Entertainment Group division, both of which are owned by Kandanal Entertainment) and Corus Entertainment. Marketed as a general, youth-oriented network with a "vibrant" lineup, Bonzai's programming is made up of original and acquired children's television series ranging from preschoolers to teenagers, as well as feature films aimed at a family-friendly audience. As of January 2016, Bonzai Network is available to approximately 94 million households (80.7% of households with television) in America.1 History Main article: History of Bonzai Network On-air identity/bumpers Bonzai Network's original branding, used during the channel's pre-launch and official launch, was created by BritCan-owned visual effects company BritCan Digital, featuring hand-drawn and CGI graphics in yellow, orange, green, and purple. Sometime in May 2004, a brand new advertising style was developed for afternoon and primetime hours, which used a completely new logo and more hand-drawn and 2D graphics, replacing the CGI-animated ones. The new logo first appeared on Bonzai’s promos and even appeared on credits of newer original programming starting in July. On New Years Day 2006, this look was adapted for the entire channel. The channel rebranded on October 6, 2014, officially adding the word "Network" to its name, receiving a completely new on-air look with a slightly overhauled logo, a new tagline—''Surprisingly Entertaining'', and a new website at BonzaiNetwork.com. The new look was designed by Los Angeles-based agency Oishii Creative, who also worked on the Hub Network 2014 rebrand. On September 1, 2016, Bonzai Network refreshed the channel with a new graphics package called #ExpectTheFun ''(which also became the new channel's slogan). The new graphics package was created by Shilo Designs and used a few recycled backgrounds from the Cartoon Network "Fall" branding, complete with new 2D graphics. The color palette consisted of blue, green, orange, yellow, and red. The ''#ExpectTheFun ''package received an updated look on March 13, 2017, this time through collaboration with Argentinean animation studio Superestudio. Titled ''#ExpectTheFun 2.0, the upgraded look took a tongue-in-cheek to many rebrands in the past; combining real-life footage with 2D and 3D animation (utilizing "photo-puppetry") to create imaginative atmospheres based on the ambient look and feel. The new look also introduced a soft pastel color palette featuring magenta, sky blue, purple, and cream, with the font given a rounded balloon-like refresh. A summer palette, with various CYMK colors, was released on May 29, 2017. Programming Main article: List of programs broadcast by Bonzai Network Bonzai Network's current programming features a mix of animated and live-action series geared towards pre-teens and young teenagers, as well as preschool-oriented programs and feature films targeting family-friendly audiences. New episodes of animated series typically on Saturday mornings during its Super Saturdays ''programming block, while first-run episodes of its live-action original series tend to air either in an episode-a-day format or a weekly premiere schedule. One of the channel's most noteworthy productions up to this date is [[Bunched Up! My Quintuplet Life|''Bunched Up! My Quintuplet Life]], the first series aired and ever produced for the channel. Bunched Up! ''has received high acclaim in ratings, being nominated for 8 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards for "Best TV Show" and winning a Daytime Emmy award. It ran from the channel's launch until October 2014, spawning a total of eight seasons and 2 made-for-television films, as well as being seen daily in rerun form. Programming blocks ''Main article: List of program blocks broadcast by Bonzai Network By 2006, Bonzai Network had already established various programming blocks aimed at different age demographics. The shows broadcast during weekday mornings had preschoolers as their target audience and pro-social behavior as a theme, while the afternoon and evening schedule mainly skewed towards its main audience of tweens and teenagers. Some of these blocks include Super Saturdays, ''a Saturday morning timeslot for original and acquired animated series, and ''Weeknight Party,'' a primetime premiere block of network originals. Current programming blocks * 'The Nook on Bonzai' – a weekday block that currently programs shows aimed at preschool-age children from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. EST/PST. The block exists on account of Bonzai's primary target audience of preteens and young teenagers usually attending school during the period the block airs. * 'Super Saturdays – a Saturday morning block showcasing animated series on the channel from 7:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EST/PST. Launched in June 2016 as Crack Up! Saturdays before re-branding in January and March, Super Saturdays features new episodes of said programming, both original and acquired. ' * 'Weeknight Party' – airing from 3:00–6:00 p.m. EST/PST, ''Weeknight Party ''serves as the channel's premiere block and features a mix of original animated and live-action series; it hosted by the same cast of Bonzai Network HQ. On Friday nights, Weeknight Party's timeslot is handed over to 'Fridays with Nicky, hosted by Nicholas "Nicky" Barth. * ''XTRM! Saturdays'' – a Saturday afternoon block comprised of action-themed programming from 12:00–3:00 p.m. EST/PST. An unbranded duplicate of this block airs on sister network BonzaiToons. Related services '''Current sister services BonzaiToons Network Main article: BonzaiToons Network BonzaiToons Network, or simply BonzaiToons,' '''is a digital cable and satellite television channel aimed at children aged 6–12. Launched as a programming block on Bonzai Network under the title '''Bonzai+' in June of 2000 and as a television channel a year later, the network airs a mix of newer animated series from Bonzai, as well as international cartoons and series exclusive to the channel. On August 28, 2014, after years of suffering ratings and following reports earlier in the year that BritCan Communications would realign all of the channels under the Bonzai brand, Bonzai+ was relaunched as Bonzai Network Too on October 13, 2014, featuring a format structured exactly like its parent channel's. To further broaden its newfound focus on animation, the channel rebranded as BonzaiToons''' on January 29, 2018. '''Bonzai Jr. Main article: Bonzai Jr. Bonzai Jr. '''is a 24-hour spin-off of Bonzai Network featuring contemporary programs aimed primarily at preschoolers. It originally launched on September 12, 2005, as '''BonBon, a joint venture between Bonzai and Sesame Workshop, which later sold its stake to BritCan in 2010 as it began growing its own original slate. On September 12, 2014, the channel's ninth anniversary, it rebranded as Bonzai Jr. due to the "Kids and Family" division re-branding under the Bonzai moniker. Past sister services Bonzai XTRM Main article: Bonzai XTRM Bonzai XTRM '''was a digital cable network operated as an action-genre spin-off of Bonzai Network geared towards male audiences. The channel had originally launched October 10, 2004, as '''BNX; an acronym for Bonzai Network Extreme. BNX's space was divided into dayparted timeslots that targeted a dual audience; kids and pre-teens in the daytime, and adults during the nighttime (similar to the shared-time format of Bonzai Network and Bonzai@fterDark). On May 5, 2014, as a result of the "Kids and Family" division re-branding under the Bonzai moniker, BNX was revamped as Bonzai XTRM. Due to failing coverage on television providers and massive budget cuts, the Bonzai XTRM brand and accompanying programs were condensed into an SVOD mobile app on June 1, 2017, as the linear network shut down. Bonzai@fterDark Main article: Bonzai@fterDark Bonzai After Dark (stylized as Bonzai@fterDark) was Bonzai Network’s late night programming service. It debuted on April 3, 2006 as Bonzai Primetime, and ran daily from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. EST, with international versions existing in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Asia; Bonzai@fterDark is treated as a separate entity for ratings purposes by Nielsen in the United States (similar to the company's ratings treatment of Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, the now-defunct Nickmom, Cartoon Network, and Adult Swim) due to differing target demographics between it and Bonzai Network. Originally consisting of off-network syndicated series and sitcoms from various countries, programming eventually changed to adult animation, black comedy, and select Japanese animation (until 2012) in September 2011, following a new imaging campaign. Due to incredibly low ratings and various cutbacks at BritCan, it was announced that Bonzai@fterDark would shut down by the end of the year. It officially left the air on January 1, 2018, with most of its programming moving over to sibling service TravestyTV. Other services Bonzai Network HD On January 1, 2009, Bonzai Network launched Bonzai Network HD, a 1080i high definition simulcast of Bonzai Network's east-coast feed. The network does not operate a separate HD feed for the west coast. Most of the channel's original programs are produced and broadcast in HD, along with feature films. Bonzai Network on Demand Bonzai Network on Demand is a video-on-demand channel featuring the latest episodes of Bonzai Network programming. Episodes are available in SD widescreen and high-definition, and are separated into two categories; "Kids and Family" and "The Nook Preschool". Bonzai Network GO Bonzai Network GO is a TV Everywhere service available on the App Store and Google Play Store. It is available for all subscribed customers of parent service BritCan To Go and offers episodes of network programming, as well as a livestream service available. The Bonzai Network GO brand also lends its name to a separate SD feed of the mainstream television network available in TV-supported vehicles and airplanes, airing popular series from the channel. The only exclusive branding is ''#ExpectTheFun ''2.0 package, with extended next bumpers featuring the rating of the show. International availability Since the inception of Bonzai Network and its respective sister networks, BritCan Communications has set up various international feeds of all networks, such as Australia and New Zealand, France, Japan, Latin America, Nordic, Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the United Kingdom and Ireland. References 1. "Cable Network Coverage Area Household Universe Estimates: January 2016". Broadcasting & Cable. January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017. Category:Bonzai Network Category:TV Channels Category:BritCan Communications